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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25920286">Analysis of Coat Checks and Chance Meetings</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/dearzoemurphy/pseuds/dearzoemurphy'>dearzoemurphy</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Queer Studies in an Alternate Timeline [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Community (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Episode: s05e06 Analysis of Cork Based Networking, F/F, First Meeting, School Dance, lesbian Annie Edison</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 03:41:22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>980</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25920286</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/dearzoemurphy/pseuds/dearzoemurphy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Annie stumbles into the coat check at the 'Fat Dog for Midterms' dance and has an unexpected encounter with a certain Greendale student. Set during s05e06 Analysis of Cork-Based Networking.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Annie Edison/Rachel (Community)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Queer Studies in an Alternate Timeline [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1896352</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>45</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Analysis of Coat Checks and Chance Meetings</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Has this coat check always been here?”</p><p>Annie Edison had wandered into the hallway beside the cafeteria, stopping in the doorway of a room that she was certain she had never seen before.</p><p>“It depends on what you mean by that. If you’re asking if this closet and these coat racks have always been here, then the answer is yes. If you’re asking if there’s always been an attendant here to watch your coats, then the answer is no,” a voice from within the room explained.</p><p>Annie took a step forward and turned to see a blonde woman who looked to be about her age perched on a bench near the doorway. She wore an oversized white sweater and squared black glasses that framed her face rather well, Annie thought, and appeared to be occupying herself with a rather thick book.</p><p>“Hm. Greendale doesn’t have a single functioning smoke alarm, but we have a coat check for our midterm dance,” she mused.</p><p>“Oh, I started this coat check without permission,” the other girl said, her mouth quirking up into a somewhat nervous smile.</p><p>“Really? Why?”</p><p>“Sometimes, people tip me as they’re heading out. I can usually make about a cool twenty dollars for only an hour or two of work,” the blonde answered with a giggle, “I’m Rachel, by the way.”</p><p>She extended her hand to Annie, who took it cautiously, giving a tight lipped smile as she shook it. “I’m Annie. Annie Edison.”</p><p>“Ah, one of the famed Greendale Seven,” Rachel said teasingly.</p><p>“Are we really <em>that</em> notorious?” Annie asked with a nervous laugh.</p><p>The other girl scrunched up her nose and folded the top corner of a page down before setting her book aside. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but absolutely. You guys are the only reason anything interesting happens around here. And, by some weird twist of fate, now you’re the only reason anything functions the way it’s supposed to.”</p><p>“I guess those aren’t bad things to be known for,” Annie said, letting out an imperceptible sigh of relief.</p><p>“They’re not! I met one of your friends at a dance last year, and if you’re anything like him, I’m sure you’re great,” Rachel assured her.</p><p>“Oh, really? Who did you meet?”</p><p>“Abed. We had a pretty good time, he was supposed to give me a call, but…he never did,” Rachel explained somewhat wistfully.</p><p>“Aw, I’m sure he didn’t mean to ignore you,” Annie said. She moved to take a seat on the bench next to Rachel, sitting close enough that their shoulders brushed against one another.</p><p>Rachel dismissed her concern with a wave of her hand. “It’s okay. I’m not upset, people get busy! Plus, there was that gas leak last year…”</p><p>Annie nodded. “Well, that’s good. I’m glad. That you’re not upset, I mean,” she sputtered.</p><p>“I’m glad too,” Rachel said, giving Annie a warm smile. Annie dared to meet the other woman's gaze, unexpected butterflies building in her stomach. </p><p><em>“What is happening…”</em> she thought, confused at the sort of anxiety she felt creeping up on her.</p><p>“So! Um…what brings you to this dance?” Rachel asked, snapping Annie out of whatever daze she had been in.</p><p>“Oh! Well, uh, my friends organized it. I was supposed to help, but I got a little caught up with a corkboard-related issue,” Annie explained.</p><p>“A corkboard-related issue?”</p><p>“Yeah. It’s solved now. No more corkboard-related worries,” she said sheepishly. She tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear before nervously running her hand through the strand.</p><p>Rachel chuckled. “That’s good,” she said, pausing, “Do you know why your friends decided to go with the ‘Fat Dog for Midterms’ theme?”</p><p>“I have no idea! They tried explaining it to me, but I still don’t get it! I appreciate their effort, I really do, but…”</p><p>“It’s a little strange,” Rachel said, completing her sentence.</p><p>“Yes. Just a little,” Annie agreed, laughing and nodding.</p><p>Rachel smiled gently. “You seem like a really cool person, Annie Edison.”</p><p>“Really? That might be the first time anyone’s ever said that to me.”</p><p>“What? Well, then everyone else must be completely oblivious,” Rachel said.</p><p>Annie felt a broad smile taking over her face. “I mean, my friends love me, but I don’t think that they thought I was <em>cool</em> when they first met me.”</p><p>“Again. Completely oblivious,” Rachel reiterated.</p><p>“If you say so,” Annie conceded, stealing a sideways glance at Rachel, “You know, I don’t know how Abed didn’t give you a call.”</p><p>Rachel raised an eyebrow. “Why do you say that?”</p><p>Annie shrugged nonchalantly. “You seem really laid back and fun. And you’re really pretty,” she said, the last part escaping her lips despite her attempts to keep it trapped.</p><p>Rachel smirked. “That’s high praise coming from someone like you.”</p><p>“Someone like…me?”</p><p>“Someone as pretty as you are.”</p><p>Annie opened her mouth to respond, but no words could find a way out. “What, me? Pretty? Ha…you think I’m pretty? That’s…cool…” she sputtered, ducking her head bashfully and fidgeting with a lock of her hair.</p><p>Rachel smiled, leaning in a little bit closer. “I think this is the part where I ask you to go dance,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.</p><p>Annie swore she felt her heart stop. <em>“Yes. Yes. A million times yes,”</em> she wanted to say.</p><p>“Are you allowed to leave the coat check?” she said instead, her face burning bright red.</p><p>“I told you that I started it without permission. Of course I can leave,” Rachel replied, clearly amused.</p><p>“Oh! Right. Makes sense,” Annie said, looking down at the ground.</p><p>The coat check attendant stood up and turned to face Annie, extending a hand to help her up. “Shall we?”</p><p>Annie met Rachel’s gaze, feeling as if she were on the precipice of getting lost in the other girl’s sparkling blue eyes.</p><p>“We shall.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>the idea of these two together is really cute to me, but since Rachel isn't in many episodes, I'm trying to find her personality and figure out how to characterize her. hence this short little thing being the first work I've included her in! please leave any thoughts/opinions/feedback/etc. in the comments down below! I hope you all are doing well and have a good rest of your day. &lt;3</p></blockquote></div></div>
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